Congratulations, Class of 2014!

Distinguished hierarchs and guests, Board of Trustees, Dean, Chancellor, faculty, and Class of 2014At its Commencement Exercises Saturday, May 31, 2014, St. Vladimir's Seminary awarded diplomas in three programs to 21 graduates: 4 Master of Theology, 8 Master of Divinity, and 9 Master of Arts degrees. Among the graduates were five priests and one deacon, who will join the ranks of alumni clergy serving the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches in the U.S. and around the world. Five of the ordinations to Holy Orders occurred in May 2014.Archbishop Job

On Saturday morning, His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon (Mollard), primate of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), and His Grace Nicholas (Ozone), auxiliary bishop for Brooklyn of the Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America (AOCANA), presided over the Prayer of Supplication (Molieben) in Three Hierarchs Chapel, on behalf of the graduates. Metropolitan Tikhon, president and chair of the seminary Board of Trustees, opened and closed the Commencement Exercises.

In his remarks, Commencement speaker Archbishop Job (Getcha) exhorted the graduates to be mindful of "the one thing needful" mentioned in the gospel story of Martha and Mary (Luke 10.38–42).

"Young pastors are often preoccupied by many things, and most of these things are rather practical—what should I live on, what do I preach about?" His Eminence began, "But the one thing needful, the most essential part, is prayer and worship, the heart of church life.

Awarding the honorary doctorate to Maestro Arvo Pärt"We will find amazing and unexpected solutions as long as we pray and accept God's will," encouraged Archbishop Job. "Always have hope in God and entrust your whole lives to God in prayer."

The archbishop was elected to lead The Patriarchal Exarchate for Orthodox Parishes of Russian Tradition in Western Europe in 2013. Formerly Dean of the Institut Saint-Serge in Paris and professor there of Liturgy and Church History and Senior Scholar at the Institut Catholique de Paris, Archbishop Job is on the faculty at the Institute of Postgraduate Studies in Orthodox Theology at the Orthodox Center of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambesy, Switzerland. He also authored the recently released SVS Press book The Typikon Decoded.

Other hierarchs present at the Commencement were: His Eminence Silouan, metropolitan of Buenos Aires and all Argentina and Patriarchal Vicar of New York and all North America; and His Grace David, bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of New York and New England. Other special guests included The Very Rev. Dr. Steven Voytovich, dean of St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary, South Canaan, PA; and The Rev. Mardiros Chevian, dean of St. Nersess Armenian Theological Seminary, Armonk, NY.

Special recognition was given to Valedictorians The Rev. Nicholas Eric Roth and The Rev. Kyle Parrott; and Salutatorians Seminarian John Bradley Vien and Luke Bullock. Also, Student Council President The Rev. Alessandro Margheritino presented the St. Macrina Award for Excellence in Teaching, selected by student vote, to Dr. Paul Meyendorff, The Father Alexander Schmemann Professor of Liturgical Theology.

Fr. Nicholas Roth, ValedictorianFr. Kyle Parrott, ValedictorianAs well, The Very Rev. Dr. John Behr, dean of St. Vladimir's, read a special resolution from the Board of Trustees with regard to the retirement of seminary professor The Very Rev. Dr. Paul Nadim Tarazi, recognizing his 40 years of dedicated service to his students and thanking him for his unwavering commitment to Jesus Christ and His Holy Church. Father Paul, a priest in the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese, taught Old Testament and biblical studies to generations of seminarians. Fr. Alessandro Margheritino with Dr. Paul Meyendorff, recipient of the St. Macrina Award

After the Commencement Exercises Maestro Pärt and his wife, Nora, were honored by the St. Vladimir's Seminary Children's Choir, led by Khouria Danielle Miller. The choir sang the Orthodox Christian Vespers service, with music especially arranged for them by composer Ivan Moody. The children's choir will be publishing a recording of the vespers in fall 2014.

Salutatorians Luke Bullock and John Bradley VienDr. Pärt was the guest of honor at a Carnegie Hall concert that same evening, sponsored by theProtodeacon Joseph Matusiak praying in Three Hierarchs Chapel, prior to CommencementArvo Pärt Project at St. Vladimir's Seminary and featuring his music, performed by the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir and the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra and conducted by Tõnu Kaljuste.

The entire St. Vladimir's community wishes the Class of 2014 many years!